Family

Rallidae

Genus

Porzana

Species

pusilla

Common Names

Ballion's Crake, Marsh Crake, Little Crake, Little Water Crake

Distinguishing Features

This small waterbird of 15-16cm has a round body on strong legs, with a slightly leaning forward posture. They have a red eye and a red-brown coloured head, back, wings and tail, streaked with black and white throughout. The face, throat and breast are a grey-blue colour, while the rump and under tail is striped black and white. The legs and bill are an olive-yellow colour.

Survey Techniques

Call and visual identification.

Species Call

A loud, sharp, metallic 'chak-ak-ak-akakakak'.

Similar Species

The Australian Spotted Crake (Porzana fluminea) is very similar in size, shape and colourings. However, the red patch on its bill and the white spots across its plumage make it unique.

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Distribution

This species is widely distributed across southern Africa, Europe and Asia, from Spain to Japan and down through the coastal and wetland regions of Australia and New Zealand.

Country of Origin

The Eurasian continent.

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - Regional

This species is rare to the Canberra region, with most records from the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - National

Secure, not listed under the EPBC Act 1999. This Crake is common to southeastern Australia, but declining in the north.

LSCCES Population

11 sightings were made at the peninsula of the National Museum of Australia.

Associated vegetation community

These birds inhabit damp areas with dense cover, either in fresh or saline wetlands and swamps of both shallow and deep waters. They are not well suited to human modified environments and are limited to areas that are generally difficult to access by humans.

Limiting Resources

These birds inhabit damp areas with dense cover, either in fresh or saline wetlands and swamps of both shallow and deep waters. They are not well suited to human modified environments and are limited to areas that are generally difficult to access by humans.

Breeding

The Baillon's Crake breeds from August to January, building a well-hidden nest in the thick vegetation surrounding a swamp or lake. The nest itself is a shallow bed of reeds, grasses and aquatic vegetation, with plants pulled over the top in a canopy and a ramp of vegetation leading from the water to the nest. The 5-6 eggs are brown with dark smudges and streaks. Both sexes incubate for 16-18days and young birds are expected to leave the nest after about 35 days.

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Behaviour

This bird is less shy than some other of the crake species, however it has a nervous nature and usually only ventures out of its thick vegetation cover very early in the morning or late in the evening. It will become bold while nesting, refusing to leave the nest and pecking at the hands of anyone who tries to come too close. It can be seen foraging through floating vegetation for food, with its tail upright and its long toes enabling it to skate across the water on pieces of vegetation. It sometimes flies up to nearby tree branches to preen its feathers.

Functional Group

Omnivore

Food Species

The Baillon's Crake has a varied diet of small invertebrates, insects, spiders, small shellfish and also young plant shoots and seeds.

Predators

Snakes and other reptiles heavily predate the eggs and young of the Baillon's Crake. Swamp Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) and other large birds of prey are known to take birds of all ages. Feral or domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris) and Cats (Felis catus) pose a threat to birds in the nest.

Interesting Fact

In the nesting season this usually shy bird becomes extroverted, preforming distracting displays through the reeds and splashing the water to distract any observers from the whereabouts of the nest.

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